Neither the Seven Warlords of the Sea present at the scene, the various Marine officers, nor the countless viewers still glued to the live broadcast could have anticipated what came next. Moments after the heads fell on the execution platform, Xayuki immediately turned his sights to the Seven Warlords seated at the high table, exerting immense pressure on them.
As Xayuki's words echoed through the plaza, the atmosphere became taut with tension, as though a single spark could ignite a storm.
Sakazuki slightly raised his head, his cold and piercing gaze sweeping over the Seven Warlords at the table. Meanwhile, the more than ten officers stationed on either side of the high platform instinctively placed their hands on the hilts of their weapons.
It was clear to everyone: should anyone resist or refuse, Sakazuki and the officers would not hesitate to strike them down on the spot.
The world watching the broadcast fell into an eerie silence. In particular, the Sabaody Archipelago, with its bustling plazas filled with reporters and representatives of various factions, became deathly quiet. The only sound was the faint gurgling of bubbles rising into the air.
Even Silvers Rayleigh and Shakky, who had been preparing to leave, stopped in their tracks at Xayuki's sudden declaration: "Will you bow to me?"
Turning back to the screen, they saw Xayuki standing tall, one hand on the hilt of his sword and the other behind his back. Shakky narrowed her eyes slightly and remarked, "Over the years, many formidable figures and young kings have emerged, but none can compare to him."
"Strong, domineering, and impossible to defy," Rayleigh agreed with a nod. "Who would've thought? The 'D' that Roger had been waiting for never appeared, yet here we are—seeing a young king rise from the Marine ranks."
On the broadcast, the Seven Warlords seated at the meeting table were visibly affected. Even the usually composed Dracule Mihawk felt an inexplicable sense of unease under Xayuki's oppressive aura. As the World's Greatest Swordsman, Mihawk couldn't understand why he felt a faint twinge of dread—not from Xayuki's strength, but from the sheer, natural-born aura of dominance emanating from him.
This overwhelming pressure wasn't limited to Mihawk. Jinbe, Kazha, and even the ambitious Crocodile and the scheming Donquixote Doflamingo all felt an almost instinctive urge to bow as Xayuki slowly approached the table. The oppressive force was so palpable that it stirred an inexplicable compulsion to submit.
"Fufufufu~ You're leaving us no room to maneuver, Fleet Admiral Xayuki~"
Suddenly, Doflamingo broke the silence, letting out a sinister laugh. He hunched over as he stood up, tilting his head to look directly at Xayuki. His voice carried a mix of mockery and caution: "Even if we bow to your overwhelming force here, what guarantees do you have that we won't betray you the moment we leave Marine Headquarters?"
"Fleet Admiral Xayuki!"
Before Xayuki could respond, Kazha, who had been battling the urge to kneel, abruptly stood up. His fiery gaze locked onto Xayuki as he shouted: "Don't forget—the Seven Warlords system was established by the World Government to maintain balance in the Grand Line, not because we wanted to become Warlords. If you no longer wish for this system to exist, you could simply abolish it outright! Why summon us here only to force us to bow?"
"Doflamingo is right. Even if we submit now, it's only because of the overwhelming force you've assembled!"
"Of course, if you approached this matter differently, I believe everyone here would gladly continue serving you."
Kazha then turned his gaze toward the silent Jinbe and Crocodile, addressing them directly: "Jinbe, Crocodile, am I wrong?"
"!!!!!!!"
Caught off guard by Kazha's direct callout, Jinbe's eyes widened in shock.
Kazha's intentions were clear: he wanted to seize the opportunity created by Doflamingo's bold stance to rally the other Warlords against Xayuki's extreme pressure tactics.
But—
Jinbe couldn't help but curse inwardly.
This was Marine Headquarters, for crying out loud! Did Kazha not see the predatory gazes of the four Admirals standing behind Xayuki? Did he not notice the restless officers on either side of the platform, itching to draw their blades? Could he not feel the murderous intent radiating from every Marine in Marineford?
Even if all the Seven Warlords joined forces, their chances of escaping were slim to none!
And then there was Mihawk, who had remained silent throughout. The fact that Mihawk had accompanied Xayuki onto the platform earlier strongly suggested that he had already reached some sort of agreement with the Fleet Admiral. It was highly unlikely that Mihawk would involve himself in any rebellion.
As for Boa Hancock, she wasn't even worth considering in this equation!
In other words, two of the Seven Warlords had already aligned themselves with Xayuki. Under such circumstances, dragging Jinbe into this mess was nothing short of suicidal!
Though Jinbe was seething internally, he maintained his composure outwardly. Instead of responding, he subtly shifted his gaze toward Crocodile.
Crocodile, too, hadn't anticipated Kazha calling him out. The moment Kazha's gaze fell on him, the cigar in Crocodile's mouth nearly slipped out, and the golden hook resting on his knee twitched slightly—as if he was tempted to use it to shut Kazha up.
"Damn it!"
Realizing that neither Jinbe nor Crocodile were taking the bait, Kazha cursed under his breath. Desperate, he turned his attention to Gecko Moria.
Huh?
The sight that greeted him nearly made Kazha's eyes pop out of their sockets.
Moria was... resting with his eyes closed!
Seeing that Moria had also chosen silence, Kazha gritted his teeth and made a bold decision. He turned back to Xayuki and declared loudly: "Fleet Admiral Xayuki, you should know this—I am allied with the Four Emperors, Kaido. If you kill me..."
"I understand—"
Before Kazha could finish, Xayuki took a sudden step forward. The blade Konpira at his waist gleamed as it was drawn in one swift motion. "Kazha, you've already made your choice."
Before the words had fully left his lips, Xayuki's figure blurred. In the blink of an eye, he had passed by Kazha.
There was no overwhelming Conqueror's Haki enveloping the area, no dazzling sword energy lighting up the scene.
All that remained was a faint ripple in the air as Xayuki walked past—and the severed head of Kazha, gripped firmly in Xayuki's hand, his wide-open eyes still frozen in shock.
The sight of Kazha's head in Xayuki's hand left everyone present—be they Warlords, Marine officers, or viewers of the broadcast—stunned. Their eyes widened in disbelief, their pupils reflecting nothing but sheer astonishment.
"H-How is this possible?!"
The deathly silence was broken by Mihawk, who was the first to recover. His usually composed demeanor gave way to visible shock as he stared at Xayuki, holding both his sword and Kazha's head. For the first time, the world's greatest swordsman couldn't suppress a gasp of disbelief.
Xayuki's strike had been so fast, so seamless, that it seemed as though man and blade had become one. Kazha's head was severed in an instant, leaving no room for resistance.
But what truly unnerved Mihawk wasn't just the speed of the attack. It was the fact that, despite the presence of several masters of Observation Haki, including Kazha himself, none of them had sensed the strike coming.
After a brief moment of realization, Mihawk's pupils contracted sharply, his gaze turning as sharp as a hawk's once more. "Observation Kill..."
Mihawk silently mouthed the term as he stared at Xayuki in awe.
It was now clear to him that Xayuki had used a technique to suppress not only Kazha's Observation Haki, but also that of everyone else present. This wasn't just about killing Kazha—it was a message. A declaration of Xayuki's dominance.
Even outside the safety of Marine Headquarters, Xayuki could hunt them down one by one and eliminate them all.
As Kazha's body collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, Xayuki turned and casually tossed the severed head onto the meeting table. His domineering aura surged like a tidal wave as he spoke, his voice cold and unyielding: "Who's next? Step forward!"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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